Legislation & Regulation

Biden Administration Highlights Plans for Homecare Investments

mherndon — Fri, 12 Apr 2024 14:43:18 +0000

Biden Administration Highlights Plans for Homecare Investments

WASHINGTON—A White House fact sheet highlighted the Biden-Harris Administration's plans for building on the progress of investments in homecare and long-term care.

The fact sheet was posted on April 9 in regards to Care Workers Recognition Month, and touched on the progress the administration said it has made to "make care more affordable for American families, support family caregivers, boost compensation and job quality for care workers and expand care options."

Biden was joined by care workers and unions as he discussed out how he built on that progress with investments in child care, homecare, paid family and medical leave, tax cuts for workers and families and other priorities.

Points from the fact sheet focused on cost of care and long-term care are below:

The Need to Improve Care

Too many families and individuals struggle to access the affordable, high-quality care they need. The cost of child care is up 26% in the last decade and more than 200% over the past 30 years. For older adults and people with disabilities, long-term care costs are up 40% over the past decade. As a result, the cost of care is out of reach for many Americans. At the same time, care workers—who are disproportionately women of color—struggle to make ends meet, even as they care for others. Due to the low pay and the demanding nature of care work, turnover rates are high. In addition, at least 53 million Americans serve as family caregivers—including over 5 million caring for service members or veterans—and many face challenges due to the lack of support, training, and respite.

The President’s Plan to Lower Costs for Families for Care

Biden has made child care, long-term care, family caregiving and paid leave a core part of his domestic and economic agendas. He has referenced these issues in each of his State of the Union Addresses, and proposed transformative investments in each budget. Biden's most recent budget proposes the following:

Long-term Care and Family Caregiving

Biden said he is committed to protecting older adults’ and people with disabilities’ health and dignity. His plan would invest in expanding Medicaid home and community-based services to help a larger number of older adults and people with disabilities receive care in their home or community, and promote better opportunities for homecare workers and family caregivers. There has been substantial growth amongst the younger population under 65 with disabilities living in nursing homes. The percentage of individuals younger than 65 living in residential nursing facilities grew from 10.6 in 2000 to 16.2 in 2017. Biden said his investments will help ensure that they can receive care in their own homes and communities. Biden also proposed substantial investments for family caregivers serving our nation’s heroes, including stipends and support services for family caregivers of eligible veterans.

The Biden-Harris Administration’s Historic Actions on Care

Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris said they have been committed to improving the quality of and access to care while supporting care workers and family caregivers. The President’s American Rescue Plan (ARP) delivered $37 billion across all 50 states for activities and investments that enhance, expand and strengthen home and community-based services and $145 million to help the National Family Caregiver Support Program deliver counseling, training and short-term relief to family and other informal care providers. In April 2023, Biden signed an Executive Order on Increasing Access to High-Quality Care and Supporting Caregivers (Care EO) surrounded by people with disabilities, family caregivers, long-term care workers, early educators, veterans and aging advocates. Over the past year, agencies have made substantial progress implementing the Care EO. For example:

HHS, through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, proposed rules to ensure that homecare workers get a bigger share of Medicaid payments; and establish minimum staffing standards in nursing homes receiving Medicare and Medicaid funding.
The Department of Veterans Affairs launched a pilot program, known as the Virtual Psychotherapy Program for Caregivers, to provide mental health counseling services to family caregivers caring for our nation’s heroes. The program successfully completed its pilot phase and is now a permanent program. Since October 2023, the program has provided over 4,937 psychotherapy sessions to family caregivers.

mherndon Fri, 04/12/2024 - 09:43

A White House fact sheet highlighted the Biden-Harris Administration's plans for building on the progress of investments in homecare and long-term care.

Home Health

Legislation & Regulation

Biden Administration

caregiver

President Biden

Medicaid

“A True Win” Industry Comments on DUALS Act of 2024

mherndon — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 13:50:11 +0000

“A True Win” Industry Comments on DUALS Act of 2024

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Tom Carper (D-DE), John Cornyn (R-TX), Mark Warner (D-VA), Tim Scott (R-SC) and Bob Menendez (D-NJ), members of the Senate Duals Working Group, introduced the Delivering Unified Access to Lifesaving Services (DUALS) Act of 2024 to improve coverage for individuals jointly enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid, also known as dual eligibles.

The DUALS Act of 2024:

Requires each state, with support from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), to select, develop and implement a comprehensive, integrated health plan for dual-eligible beneficiaries. States can create a new system or build off of existing coverage options.
Improves beneficiary experience by requiring plans to develop and update care coordination plans, requiring the establishment of ombudsman offices, and establishing a care coordinator for each beneficiary.
Reduces beneficiary confusion by reducing “look-alike” plans which target dual eligible beneficiaries for enrollment but don’t provide any coordination, creates a single appeals process instead of the current Medicare and Medicaid appeals process, and reduces third-party marketing organization incentives to target beneficiaries.
Expands Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) coverage nationwide by requiring every state to allow PACE programs to be established, allows enrollment in a PACE program at any time in the month, and expands PACE coverage to individuals under the age of 55.

“Patients dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid have much worse outcomes than other groups even though there is a lot more money spent on their care,” said Cassidy. “Making Medicare and Medicaid better work together makes patients healthier and saves money for taxpayers.”

“Beneficiaries who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid are often the sickest and most vulnerable patients in our country, and, particularly for these patients, we must reduce the unnecessarily complex nature of health care in America,” said Carper. “This bipartisan bill directly works to simplify complexities for the millions of dual eligible Americans in need, while simultaneously reducing bureaucratic headaches for the government, health care providers, and patients alike. We’ve worked hard over the last three years to draft this legislation, and I’m proud to introduce the product of our years of work today.”

“Medicare and Medicaid oftentimes don’t coordinate care for individuals enrolled in both programs, which can lead to poor outcomes for patients and inefficient spending for our health care system,” said Cornyn. “By requiring states to develop an integrated health plan for these Americans, this legislation would help streamline the system, improve beneficiary experience, and ensure taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly.”

“This bill is the result of a year of work and input from stakeholders across the country,” said Warner. “It responds directly to what we heard and what we’ve known for a while, which is that the status quo isn’t working. This bill will help make sure that duals have access to improved, integrated care, and that states receive additional resources so that they can more fully support this vulnerable population.”

“Many states lack fully integrated care between Medicare and Medicaid, leaving dually eligible individuals with fragmented care and the headaches of confusing bureaucracy. We can, and must, do better for this vulnerable population,” said Scott. “Our bill will help ensure these programs work together so that patients across the nation can access the high-quality care they deserve.”

“The DUALS Act of 2024 addresses some of the challenges and opportunities facing America as our population ages," Katie Smith Sloan, president and CEO of LeadingAge, the association of nonprofit providers of aging services. "For too many older adults, particularly those with low incomes and multiple, chronic health conditions, accessing care and services through Medicare and Medicaid is a fraught endeavor that ends in frustration and, worse yet, inadequate results. This legislation is a start at redesigning our current patchwork approach of delivering long-term services and supports. It incorporates many elements we proposed back in 2017 to ensure that dual eligibles can access the supports they need—including the creation of comprehensive care plans and interdisciplinary care teams and a single pooled payment—and more. This is a true win, and we applaud Senators Cassidy, Carper, Cornyn, Warner, Scott and Menendez for their far-sighted, fulsome support of this bill. More than 12 million low-income or disabled people in the U.S. who currently qualify as dual eligibles will benefit today—and many more will follow, as our country’s massive population shift continues.”

The DUALS Act of 2024 is supported by Centerlight Healthcare, Santa Clara Family Health Plan, Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), PointClickCare, Welbe Health, American Kidney Fund, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Alliance of Community Health Plans, LeadingAge, Bipartisan Policy Center, National Health Council, ChristianaCare, DaVita, and National Pace Association.

Click here for the one-pager.

Click here for a section-by-section.

mherndon Fri, 03/15/2024 - 08:50

Legislation streamlines access to Medicare and Medicaid services for people eligible for both, ensuring older adults’ access to integrated care

Legislation & Regulation

CMS/Medicare

DUALS Act of 2024

LeadingAge

medicare and medicaid

dual eligible

Rep. Kelly Champions Telehealth Legislation During Ways & Means Hearing

mherndon — Thu, 14 Mar 2024 13:51:24 +0000

Rep. Kelly Champions Telehealth Legislation During Ways & Means Hearing

WASHINGTON—During a Ways & Means Committee hearing that examined opportunities and challenges in enhancing access to care in patients’ homes and modernizing care in rural and underserved communities, U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) championed telehealth legislation he co-led, the Telehealth Extension Act, which he first introduced in 2021. This bipartisan bill ensures permanent access to telehealth for patients across the country by ending outdated geographic and site restrictions on where patients can receive approved telehealth services.

"For too many people across rural Western Pennsylvania, accessing high-speed internet can be a challenge. That means accessing telehealth care can be a challenge as well," Kelly said. "Where someone lives should not determine the quality of health care they receive. This is why we must remove barriers to health care and technology so we can help patients access the care they need. I've supported critical legislation, including the Telehealth Extension Act, to protect and expand telehealth options. As Medicare telehealth and Hospital at Home flexibilities are set to expire at the end of the year, once again we face the need to make at-home care possible for the millions of Americans who rely on it."

You can watch part of Rep. Kelly's questioning during the hearing here.

The Telehealth Extension Act would:

Permanently lift geographic and site-based restrictions so Medicare beneficiaries can use telehealth regardless of their zip code, and in the comfort and convenience of their own home or at designated health facilities offering telehealth.
Support the adoption of telehealth in underserved communities by ensuring federally qualified health centers, rural health clinics, indian health service facilities and native Hawaiian health care systems can furnish telehealth services.
Provide a two-year temporary extension of COVID-19 emergency telehealth waivers. These waivers include permitting providers like speech language pathologists, occupational therapists and physical therapists to furnish telehealth services; enabling critical access hospitals to continue providing outpatient behavioral therapy services through telehealth; and permitting payment for appropriate audio-only services.
Promote program integrity with reasonable guardrails for a small subset of telehealth services that have been targets of fraud without limiting patients’ access to care. The bill would require an in-person appointment within six months prior to ordering high-cost durable medical equipment (DME) or major clinical laboratory tests. The legislation also authorizes CMS to audit outlier physicians ordering DME and lab tests at high rates and recover fraudulent payments. Finally, CMS will track who is billing for DME and lab tests by requiring providers to use their own national provider identifier (NPI) when billing Medicare for a telehealth service.
Improve disaster preparedness by providing broad authority for CMS to authorize telehealth flexibilities during future emergencies.

mherndon Thu, 03/14/2024 - 08:51

Kelly introduced the Telehealth Extension Act in 2021

CMS/Medicare

Legislation & Regulation

CMS

Ways and Means Committee

Mike Kelly

telehealth

Telehealth access

Gillibrand, Casey Introduce Landmark Strategic Plan For Aging Act

mherndon — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 15:42:26 +0000

Gillibrand, Casey Introduce Landmark Strategic Plan For Aging Act

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), member of the Senate Committee on Aging, and U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), chair of the Senate Committee on Aging, introduced the Strategic Plan for Aging Act, a landmark bill that would create a new, nationwide grant program under the Older Americans Act (OAA) to incentivize and support states’ efforts to create their own strategic plans for aging. There are currently at least 24 states that are implementing, developing or initiating a comprehensive plan to address the needs of older adults; these plans are commonly referred to by states as Master Plans for Aging or Multisector Plans for Aging. These plans are cross-sector, state-led strategic planning resources that can help states transform the infrastructure and coordination of services for their aging populations. The ultimate goal is to guide smart policy choices and investments at the state level to ensure older adults can live with dignity in the setting of their choice.

In the United States, there are more than 57 million Americans aged 65 years and older, and because that number is expected to rise to more than 80 million by 2040, it is essential that state and local governments are prepared to address the needs of our aging loved ones.

“More than 57 million Americans are aged 65 years and older, and that number will continue to rise in the coming years. It is absolutely essential that Congress leads the effort to invest in the well-being of our elder loved ones,” said Senator Gillibrand. “The Strategic Plan for Aging Act would deliver millions for states to develop their own strategic plans for aging, which can provide resources and solutions to help older Americans navigate everything from housing and food insecurity to skyrocketing health care costs, insufficient retirement savings and elder abuse. I’m committed to ensuring that every American has the opportunity to age with dignity and financial security.”

“After fighting in our wars, teaching our children and building our Nation, older Americans deserve to age with dignity. As I lead this year’s reauthorization of the Older Americans Act, I am focused on ensuring that Congress meets its obligation to Pennsylvanians and people around the country as they age,” said Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), chair of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging. “The Strategic Plan for Aging Act would help provide that support by giving Pennsylvania and states across the Nation the resources they need to plan for the future and ensure that no older Americans are left behind.”

The Strategic Plan for Aging Act would:

Award grants to states, territories and tribes to create or continue to develop their own multisector plan for Aging.
- Awardees will finalize and begin the implementation of their plan not later than two years after receiving the grant. The plan should cover a 10-year period.
- A plan would direct the state, local, nonprofit and private sectors to collaborate on systems-based solutions that touch all major areas of the aging life experience, such as health care, housing, transportation, consumer affairs, employment and income security.
Provide awardees with resources to coordinate, implement and evaluate cross-agency and private-sector plans to improve the lives of older adults, including older adults with a disability.
Award up to 65 grants in a five-year span; each grant could be worth up to $500,000. The Departement of Health & Human Services (HHS) will have the discretion to award a lower amount depending on the size and need of the state, territory and tribal organization.

Voices of Support

“USAging is pleased to support the Strategic Plan for Aging Act," said Sandy Markwood, CEO, USAging. "If we are to build a society that values people as they age, we must as a nation plan to improve the ability of older adults to age well at home and in the community. The nation’s Area Agencies on Aging and Title VI Native American Aging Programs have been preparing for our current unprecedented age wave for decades and play significant roles in aging planning in communities across the U.S. This legislation will expand and coordinate with these planning efforts to engage all sectors of society in planning and supporting our historic demographic shift."

“ADvancing States is glad to endorse the Strategic Plan for Aging Act," said Martha Roherty, executive director of ADvancing States. "Now more than ever, addressing the needs of the nation’s aging population requires thoughtful, long-term strategic planning. The Strategic Plan for Aging Act would offer essential support to state aging agencies, enabling them to develop and implement effective strategies to strengthen the infrastructure of their programs and better meet the needs of the growing older adult population nationwide."

“Counties play a much-needed role in helping older adults live independently in our communities,” said National Association of Counties Executive Director Matthew Chase. “With the senior population increasing, we have experienced increased demand on county services. By creating a new, nationwide grant program to support the development and implementation of multi-sector aging plans, the Strategic Plan for Aging Act will help counties and our intergovernmental partners meet the needs of elderly residents for years to come. We look forward to working with Congress to pass this important legislation.”

“We commend Senator Gillibrand for her leadership and dedication to supporting older Americans," said Ellie Hollander, president and CEO of Meals on Wheels America. "This rapidly growing population faces significant risk of social isolation, malnutrition and hunger while federal funding shortfalls limit the aging network’s capacity to provide lifesaving services. Currently, one in three Meals on Wheels programs has a waitlist, with seniors waiting an average of three months for vital meals. The Strategic Plan on Aging Act incentivizes collaboration among states, Area Agencies on Aging and community-based organizations like Meals on Wheels that are best positioned to meet seniors’ needs by establishing additional grants and resources to coordinate and implement aging plans focused on seniors’ well-being. We look forward to working with Congress to enact this comprehensive legislation,”

“As America grows older, all states need to be planning for a future where we can all access appropriate health care, housing, transportation and other services as we age," said Justice in Aging’s Executive Director, Kevin Prindiville. "As we’ve seen with California’s Master Plan for Aging, now in its fifth year, targeted investments and inclusive planning, such as what is proposed in the Strategic Plan on Aging Act, can work to build better, more equitable communities for us all. This is a very exciting development."

“Master Plans for Aging are vital components of state efforts to enact policies and programs that empower older adults to live healthy, fulfilling lives in the communities of their choice, while aging with dignity and independence," New York State Department of Health Commissioner James McDonald said. "Senator Gillibrand’s proposal recognizes the importance of making sure states have the means and supports to accomplish that goal.”

“With alignment at the federal and state level, we can use Master Plans for Aging to remake the aging experience through support programs that are more effective, efficient and impactful. I applaud Senator Gillibrand for ensuring that state and federal government agencies partner to build a system that works for older adults and for all of us as we age," Master Plan for Aging Chair and Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Health’s Office of Aging and Long-term Care Adam Herbst, Esq., said.

More Information

States that are implementing or developing a Strategic Aging Plan include: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont and Washington.

The Strategic Plan for Aging Act has been endorsed by: ADvancing States; Alliance for Retired Americans; American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees; American Society on Aging; CaringKind the Heart of Alzheimer’s Caregiving; Carter Burden Network; Chinatown Manpower Project, Inc.; Chinese-American Planning Council; Citymeals on Wheels; Coalition to End Social Isolation and Loneliness; Defeat Malnutrition Today; Diverse Elders Coalition; Elder Justice Coalition; Generations United; GNYHA; Grantmakers in Aging; Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing; Healthcare Association of New York State; International Association for Indigenous Aging; Justice in Aging; LeadingAge; Lifespan of Greater Rochester; LiveOn NY; Long-Term Quality Alliance; Meals on Wheels America; Medicare Rights Center; National Adult Protective Services Association; National Alliance for Caregiving; National Association of Counties; National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs; National Association of State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs; National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care; National Council on Aging; National Foundation to End Senior Hunger; New York State Department of Health; New York State Master Plan on Aging Coalition; New York StateWide Senior Action Council; New York Vision Rehabilitation Association; NYC Department for the Aging; NYS Office for the Aging; Pennsylvania Association for Area Agencies on Aging, People Inc.; SAGE Advocacy & Services for LGBTQ+ Elders; Service Program for Older People Inc.; Southeastern Association of Area Agencies on Aging; The Brookdale Center for Healthy Aging; USAging, West Health Institute.

For a full list of endorsement quotes, click here.

mherndon Tue, 03/12/2024 - 10:42

Bill would create a new, nationwide grant program to incentivize and support states’ efforts to create strategic plans for aging

Legislation & Regulation

senate committee on aging

Senate bill

Senate

strategic plan for aging act

USAging

DME 75/25 Relief Not Included in Latest Health Care Legislation Agreement

mherndon — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 14:51:38 +0000

DME 75/25 Relief Not Included in Latest Health Care Legislation Agreement

WASHINGTON—On Sunday, congressional leaders announced an agreement for a narrow health care package as part of appropriations legislation. The package does not include provisions to extend 75/25 Medicare blended rates for durable medical equipment (DME) in nonrural areas. These measures are part of appropriations language set for consideration by March 8.

"While this latest development is certainly disappointing, our lobbying team remains fully engaged in working with our champions to identify other options to advance 75/25 provisions in other legislative vehicles, including another government funding package that must pass before March 22," said a statement from the American Association for HomeCare (AAHomeCare). "Your grassroots advocacy plays a critical role in underpinning these efforts. Please continue to ask your legislators to extend the 75/25 Medicare blended rates for DME in nonrural areas through 2024. You can find updated messaging and guidance for making the case for the 75/25 extension here."

"Our team is buoyed by the strong outreach to Capitol Hill from the DME community over the last few weeks that followed on your extensive advocacy throughout 2023," the statement continued. "We are not backing down on our efforts to extend this relief as soon as possible and also remain committed to engaging policymakers on the need for reimbursement rates that reflect market reality across the full spectrum of payers. Thank you for your determined advocacy. We will keep you posted on continuing developments on this important relief."

mherndon Tue, 03/05/2024 - 08:51

AAHomeCare said continued grassroots advocacy support needed to advance relief provision

Legislation & Regulation

durable medical equipment

AAHomecare

75/25

Capitol Hill

HME Leaders Continue to Raise the Urgency on 75/25 Provisions

mherndon — Fri, 23 Feb 2024 16:36:36 +0000

HME Leaders Continue to Raise the Urgency on 75/25 Provisions

WASHINGTON—AAHomecare’s lobbying team and other home medical equipment (HME) stakeholders remain engaged in advocating for including extended 75/25 blended-rate relief among health care provisions in government spending packages needed in advance of March 1 and March 8 funding deadlines. HHS funding is subject to the March 8 deadline.

In a recent message to American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) board/council members, grassroots accountability program participants and individuals who joined virtual legislative events in 2023, AAHomecare President & CEO Tom Ryan asked leaders in the industry to:

"Make a direct request, by email and/or phone call, to health care staffers for your senators and representatives. Ask that the Senator/Representative reach out to leadership in their respective chambers in support of including DMEPOS relief in nonrural areas among health care provisions in the next government funding legislative package."

Additional language and messaging guidance for contacting your legislators can be found here.

Advocates can also note that cuts have already taken effect and share how they are impacting the ability to support patients. AAHomecare noted you can bolster your arguments with figures from this analysis of the cuts across 25 major HCPCS codes in your emails and calls (specifically using the figures from the far right column: 2024 v 2023 nonrural rates).

Reach out to Gordon Barnes at gordonb@aahomecare.org for health care staff contact information and any other assistance needed in crafting and delivering a message.

HME advocates can also add to the 5,000+ messages sent in support of extending the 75/25 relief using AAHomecare's Voter Voice advocacy tool. Edit the pre-drafted letter to include more details about your company and patients, as well as how the disconnect between current reimbursement rates and rising product and operational costs are affecting your business and your patients.

"Your determined grassroots advocacy has brought us to the doorstep of achieving substantial relief for HME and is directly supporting our current round-the-clock lobbying efforts on Capitol Hill," Ryan said to AAHomecare leaders. "Let’s kick the door down over these next two weeks and bring home a major win for HME."

mherndon Fri, 02/23/2024 - 10:36

AAHomecare asks industry advocates to make their voices heard by reaching out to their senators and representatives

Home Health

Legislation & Regulation

Capitol Hill

AAHomecare

75/25

advocacy

grassroots adovcacy

Act Introduced to Expand Acute Hospital-At-Home Program by Rubio, Carper

mherndon — Tue, 13 Feb 2024 13:34:48 +0000

Act Introduced to Expand Acute Hospital-At-Home Program by Rubio, Carper

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Tom Carper (D-DE) introduced the At Home Observation and Medical Evaluation (HOME) Services Act to establish a hospital-at-home pilot program that would test expanding the acute hospital-at-home program to include observation status patients.

The hospital-at-home program has been essential in helping hospitals free up beds and staff for patients in need of greater care. However, the current hospital-at-home program only covers acute patients, not observation-status patients.

“Addressing our healthcare challenges requires innovative solutions," Rubio said. "The At HOME Services Act builds on the success of the hospital-at-home program to lower costs and burdens and improve patient outcomes and satisfaction.”

“The pandemic taught us that meeting patients where they’re at is possible and often preferred," Carper said. "That’s why I worked to increase and expand access to hospital-level care from the comfort of home. These services have seen tremendous success for people across the country, including in Delaware, and the At HOME Services Act would build on these programs to continue reducing costs and improving patient outcomes.”

Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) is an original cosponsor of this legislation.

mherndon Tue, 02/13/2024 - 07:34

The pilot program established would test expanding the acute hospital-at-home program to include observation status patients

Legislation & Regulation

Marco Rubio

Tom Carper

Hospital at home

Congressional Legislation

AARP Calls Credit for Caring Act 'Much Needed Relief for Caregivers'

mherndon — Fri, 02 Feb 2024 16:55:27 +0000

AARP Calls Credit for Caring Act 'Much Needed Relief for Caregivers'

WASHINGTON—AARP applauded the reintroduction of the Credit for Caring Act, bipartisan legislation that would provide up to a $5,000 nonrefundable federal tax credit for working family caregivers who routinely cut back on their own health care or dip into their savings each year.

The bill would help offset a portion of the cost of caregiving expenses such as homecare aides, adult day care, home modifications, assistive technology, respite care, transportation or other supports that help caregivers and their loved ones. It was introduced in the Senate by Senators Bennet (D-CO) and Capito (R-WV) and in the House by Representatives Carey (R-OH) and Sánchez (D-CA). Senators Warren (D-MA), Collins (R-ME), Hassan (D-NH), and Murkowski (R-AK) are original co-sponsors.

“Family caregivers are the backbone of our country’s long-term care system, but they are overwhelmed, exhausted and financially strained. Our caregivers desperately need support," said Nancy A. LeaMond, AARP executive vice president and chief advocacy & engagement officer. "That is why AARP is proud to work closely with Senators Bennet, Capito, Warren, Collins, Hassan and Murkowski and Representatives Carey and Sánchez for the introduction of the Credit for Caring Act. We urge Congress to pass this legislation in 2024 to help provide relief and put money back in the pockets of caregivers.”

More than 48 million Americans are caregivers. Caregivers provide approximately $600 billion in unpaid care each year—doing everything from helping prepare meals and paying bills, to assisting with medication, medical/nursing tasks and general activities of daily living—most often so that their parents, spouses and other loved ones can continue to live independently in their homes and communities.

Sixty-one percent of family caregivers work either full- or part-time. Many of them face financial risks such as lost income, reduced career opportunities, and subsequently lower Social Security and retirement benefits. AARP research has found that, on average, family caregivers spend more than $7,200 out of their own pockets annually to care for their loved ones, and 45% have reported negative financial impacts such as taking on debt or no longer saving.

The legislation would provide financial support for individual caregivers by providing up to a $5,000 nonrefundable federal tax credit for eligible working family caregivers, that would cover 30% of qualified expenses they incurred above $2,000. The bill could also help boost the U.S. economy. According to an AARP analysis, if caregivers ages 50 and older had support in the workplace, the U.S. gross domestic product could grow by an additional $1.7 trillion (5.5%) by 2030.

mherndon Fri, 02/02/2024 - 10:55

Bill to provide up to $5,000 tax credit for family caregivers stretched to the limit

Legislation & Regulation

AARP

caregiver

Congressional Legislation

Short-Term Funding Measure Passed Without 75/25 Relief

mherndon — Fri, 02 Feb 2024 16:00:43 +0000

Short-Term Funding Measure Passed Without 75/25 Relief

WASHINGTON—The House of Representatives passed a short-term spending bill Thursday, Jan. 18 to keep the government funded until the beginning of March, buying lawmakers more time to finish the formal appropriations process. This bill does not include various health care extender measures, including a provision to continue the 75/25 blended rate for Medicare reimbursement in nonrural areas the American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) reported.

"We are continuing to work with our champions, as well as influential legislators and committee staff, to pass our legislation in the next funding package, which would need to be passed by March 1, and are emphasizing to members of the House and Senate that the cuts have now gone into effect and are impacting suppliers," AAHomecare said in a press release. "As currently structured, the funding bills for different government agencies would need approval by March 1 and March 8.

AAHomecare said it will remain engaged and continue to voice support for extending the 75/25 rates through 2024. It said losing the relief will be felt by a significant portion of the supplier community.

"In discussions with Congressional offices, our lobbyists report that legislators and staff continue to hear from our industry and that this grassroots advocacy makes a difference," AAHomecare said. "Please follow up with your legislators next week to share the urgency of ensuring this relief is part of the next funding package."

Data from AAHomecare can be found on the specific cuts for highly utilized products in your region to share with legislators in this spreadsheet (select "Full Analysis" tab at the bottom and note column J; 2024 v 2023 Non-Rural Rate). More perspective is available in this Dec. 27 rate analysis alert, showing an average cut of 20.1% across top product categories in non-rural areas.

Reach out to Gordon Barnes at gordonb@aahomecare.org for contact information for your legislators’ health care staffers or any other help in crafting and deliver your message.

You can also send a pre-drafted message to your Senators and Representatives using AAHomecare's Voter Voice advocacy tool; there is an updated draft text to reflect the current state of the budget legislation, however AAHomecare encourages senders to edit the draft letter to include more details about your company and patients, as well as how the disconnect between current reimbursement rates and rising product and operational costs are affecting your business and your patients. Take action here.

mherndon Fri, 02/02/2024 - 10:00

AAHomecare said it will remain engaged and continue to voice support for extending the 75/25 rates through 2024

Legislation & Regulation

75/25

bended rate

AAHomecare

AAHomecare Legislative Update

Bill Introduced to Increase Transparency of MA Benefits for Seniors

mherndon — Fri, 19 Jan 2024 14:38:35 +0000

Bill Introduced to Increase Transparency of MA Benefits for Seniors

WASHINGTON—U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), members of the Senate Finance Committee, introduced legislation to require Medicare Advantage (MA) plans to publicly report the supplemental benefits they offer and the extent to which beneficiaries use them, making sure that the program is using Medicare-funded benefits to better serve seniors. Specifically, the legislation would require Medicare Advantage plans to report enrollee-level data on supplemental benefits to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and report eligibility for benefits, the types of benefit categories offered and data on utilization of and payments for such benefits.

“As more and more seniors turn to Medicare Advantage for their health coverage, it’s important that we properly evaluate the effectiveness of the program,” said Sen. Warner. “That’s why I introduced legislation to make Medicare Advantage data more readily available so that we can better evaluate plans in order to give seniors the best coverage for their needs and to ensure the sustainability of the Medicare program as a whole.”

In recent years, the use of MA has skyrocketed, with 39% of all Virginia Medicare beneficiaries and more than half of eligible beneficiaries nationwide choosing to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan. However, there is currently no statutory requirement to specifically report on supplemental benefits, making data on available benefits and their utilization unreliable. Sen. Warner’s legislation would ensure this data is available to understand beneficiary use of supplemental benefits and their impact on the sustainability of the Medicare program.

This legislation builds on Sen. Warner’s efforts to expand and protect health care access for Medicare beneficiaries, including through legislation like the Preserving Patient Access to Home Infusion Act and CHRONIC Care Act.

Full text of the bill is available here.

mherndon Fri, 01/19/2024 - 08:38

The legislation would require MA plans to report enrollee-level data on supplemental benefits to the CMS

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